Be Careful What You Wish
by FoxPhile
Summary: Paige is dating Tim, but is that what she really wants? WARNING: Early chapters will include quite a bit of Paige and Tim, even though all is not well there. Waige will come eventually, but if the thought of Paige and Tim together makes you squirm, you may want to look elsewhere.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Be Careful What You Wish**

 **Summary:** _ **Paige is dating Tim, but is that what she really wants?**_

 **Author's Note: Warning, early chapters will include quite a bit of Paige and Tim. Waige will come eventually, but if the thought of Paige and Tim together makes you squirm, you may want to look elsewhere.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** _ **/scorpion**_ **. This story is for entertainment purposes only. I make no profit and no infringement of copyrights is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

She had to admit that she wasn't enjoying herself.

She was a cheerleader in high school. She knew enough about football to understand when a team was doing well and when it wasn't. The LA team was doing well so far, but there was still the second half of play to get through and Paige also knew that anything could happen in a football game, even up until the last minutes – or seconds. In that way, it was a bit like a lot of Scorpion's cases. They so often came down to Walter or one of the others pulling a Hail Mary solution out of their back pocket at the last minute.

The thing is, despite the emotions of the fans around her, the fate of the world did not depend on the outcome of a football game. She found the game allowed her to relax; to get her mind off of the frequent tension at work. Lately, though, that tension was more personal than professional.

Toby and Happy were apparently dealing with their issues. With the identity of Happy's husband revealed (that had been a shock!), and now that Walter's citizenship was assured, Toby wasn't taking jabs at Happy about it anymore. Since Happy revealed her non-pregnant status, Toby wasn't taking jabs at Happy about anything. Sometimes their banter included the old teasing affection, and while both were happy about their now official engagement and also obviously very much in love, there was a tone of sadness about the pair that was difficult to see. Paige understood that, even though the baby had never actually existed, to both the parents-to-be, the loss was real. She ached for Happy, and wished that she could help, but having never lost a child herself, she wasn't sure she could, beyond the most basic offers of comfort.

The situation between herself and Walter was another story. Their former friendliness was gone. Walter avoided virtually all contact or communication with her beyond what was strictly necessary for Scorpion… and for Ralph. It shouldn't surprise her that Walter would dismiss whatever issues he had with her in order to maintain his relationship with her son, but it did. She would always be grateful to him for that, since she hated the idea of their rift affecting Ralph. It did, of course, but not as badly as it might. Thanks to his relationships with all the team as well as his growing socialization at school, he was much more in tune with emotions than any of the adult geniuses. Ralph was acutely aware of the tension between herself and Walter.

"It's half-time. You want something to eat or… or drink?"

Paige turned to answer the man sitting beside her. He was dressed for the early November Los Angeles weather in a light shirt and jeans with a team hoodie that could be removed if it got warm. Paige was glad that Tim wasn't a real fanatic. She would be embarrassed if he sported silly hats or worse, painted his face or chest in team colors.

"Sure," she answered. "I'd love a beer and maybe some cheesy fries?"

"You got it."

Tim stood up and made his way to the steps, turning back as he began his walk up to the mezzanine to wave awkwardly. Paige waved back, then turned to watch the halftime performance on the field. Not that the marching band from the University of… where was it? She couldn't remember what the announcer had said. Walter would remember. Despite the fact that it was information that couldn't possibly be useful, now or in any foreseeable future, Walter would file that small fact away and be able to recall it not just minutes later, but months and years later. The man probably should have looked into research to merge his sister's mind into his, rather than attempting to download her mind to a hard drive. Apparently he had more than enough room, and it would have saved him a fortune in high capacity hardware.

Paige mentally slapped herself. This was her third date with Tim since the Tahoe fiasco. Why was her every thought leading to Walter O'Brien? The man had given her the tickets, insisted she go with Tim and then pulled childish pranks to sidetrack their weekend. Not that she'd wanted to be in an adjoining room, but it would have been nice to have something for dinner besides a Nutsy Cluster bar.

The fact that her dates with Tim lead to her mind wandering wasn't a big mystery. She was bored. On their first two dinner dates pre-Tahoe, Ralph had been along for one, and kept her entertained with tales from his school and his classes at Cal Tech. During the other, they mostly discussed previous Scorpion cases. Tim had so many questions about things they'd done before he joined. It wasn't entertaining; in some ways it was anxiety inducing to relive some things. But at least it kept her mind occupied.

After Tahoe, Tim had pretty much mapped out their itineraries with things he obviously enjoyed. One date was the standard dinner and a movie, the movie being an action-adventure flick featuring a lot of explosions and weaponry. Apparently he didn't realize that Paige got quite enough of that in real life. On their second date, she spent a couple of hours sitting on uncomfortable bleachers while Tim played rugby. Then she waited while he had several minor injuries attended to and took a shower. Finally she was rewarded with a dinner during which she was treated to a blow-by-blow replay of the game. Now she was spending another couple of hours of her life watching a sporting event. At least he had the decency not to take her to a baseball game.

Still, he was very easy on the eyes. He never failed to comment on how nice she looked when he picked her up. And as of just a few nights ago, after the rugby and the dinner, she found out that he was a reasonably satisfying bed partner; although she wasn't too sure her judgment on that score was valid. After many years of drought, even tepid water tastes delicious.

Part of her wondered if she'd gone to bed with Tim simply because of Walter's comment. She could hope that she was more mature than that, but couldn't shake the feeling that she might have cut off her own nose to spite her face. That was probably something she needed to think long and hard about. But not at a football game.

Paige realized she really wasn't good at this dating thing. She couldn't really blame it on lack of experience. For all Drew's faults, when she was dating him, he allowed and even encouraged her to suggest activities for them to share. Sure, she'd spent many hours watching baseball games, but they'd also gone to concerts and dance clubs. He'd balked at the idea of an art gallery, but then she'd said no to paintball and he hadn't been upset about that.

She'd never been with a man who apparently thought it was his prerogative to make all the decisions in the relationship. She supposed it was up to her to let Tim know what she did and did not enjoy, and to make alternative suggestions for their dates.

Paige sighed and slumped down in her seat. The wooden slats were not very forgiving to her backside. She wondered what she might suggest for date activities. It was so long since she went on a date – and never with a man who could afford anything more than free concerts and McDonald's – she wasn't even sure she knew what she might like to do. Could she convince Tim to take her to a movie with fewer explosions and more emotions? Maybe a comedy? She knew he liked music and there were many small concert venues around Los Angeles. Maybe he would be okay with something like that? It was unfair of her to think he was being controlling when she hadn't provided any input. Perhaps he was simply waiting for her to make suggestions. She would do some Internet searching and find something for their next free weekend.

"Here you go, sweetheart."

Tim sat in his seat and passed over one of those folding cardboard boxes with a drink stuck in one corner and a tray full of French fries, smothered in cheese sauce. Paige took the box and slowly picked out one of the gooey fries. She smiled at Tim, then put the fry in her mouth and began to chew. Tim had never used any sort of pet name for her before. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. She supposed it was a direct result of the intimacy they'd shared the prior weekend. Tim might also be expecting a repeat, and that was something else she wasn't sure about. Although the first experience had been satisfactory, not only was she not sure about her own motivations; there was something missing. Her experience was limited, but she didn't think the something was due to first time jitters. It wouldn't improve if they got more comfortable with each other. So just how was she supposed to gracefully decline sleeping with a man whom she'd already slept with?

She glanced again at the man sitting next to her. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him. But there wasn't anything really _**right**_ about him either.

" _Jeez, Tim. I'm just not feelin' it so – no, not tonight and probably not ever again."_

Yep, that would go over well.

* * *

October 8 – November 14, 2016


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Be Careful What You Wish**

 **Summary:** _ **Paige is dating Tim, but is that what she really wants?**_

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** _ **/scorpion**_ **. This story is for entertainment purposes only. I make no profit and no infringement of copyrights is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

* * *

Walter glanced at the clock, closed his laptop and headed for the stairs. It was nine-thirty and he could hear Paige's voice downstairs. Happy and Toby were downstairs as well, so he could safely make his way down, knowing he wouldn't have to interact with Paige alone. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to Paige. There was a hole in his soul where their friendship had been, but the only way he could think of to keep his promise not to interfere with her and Tim was to maintain distance.

It wasn't long after the Tahoe disaster that Walter began his new habit of waiting until everyone else arrived at the garage before he made an appearance. During the weeks that he had two unwelcome roommates, all he needed to do was wait until Toby and Happy made it downstairs. Toby unfailingly greeted Paige in a loud voice if she was already there or soon after she arrived. Walter suspected his friend did that on purpose. Now Walter needed to listen carefully for their voices each morning, or make his way downstairs before anyone arrived to turn on the intercom. It wasn't just because he didn't want to be alone with Paige in the garage. There was something he dreaded even more than that. It was the possibility of seeing Paige and Tim arrive together. He supposed it was cowardly, and Cabe would counsel him that avoiding reality was not the way to grow into the better self he needed to be.

He overheard enough in the garage in recent weeks to realize that Tim and Paige were dating regularly now. Walter assumed it was only a matter of time before their relationship became intimate. There was an excellent chance it already was, although he'd gotten no real clues from Paige's reaction to his comment. He knew it was inappropriate – and probably childish. But there was a masochistic side of him that needed to know. In the past few days Tim displayed greater possessive tendencies. He hovered around Paige and frequently planted his Navy Seal paws on her back whenever they left the garage together. If Walter had Toby's gambling habit, he'd wager that the event took place sometime in the last week. Walter shuddered.

Much as it made him ill to think of it, he found himself paradoxically wishing they had become sexually active. He recently read studies showing that early sex between couples – especially in the first month of dating – had adverse long-term implications for relationship quality. If that was true, there was a part of him that fervently wished they'd been doing it like bunnies for a while; and that it would ultimately take its toll and result in an irreconcilable split.

Walter scolded himself. Those thoughts were as petty as his sabotage of their Tahoe weekend had been. He would never become "fully baked" at this rate. He should probably wish Paige happiness, no matter whom she wound up with. To his chagrin, he realized that was simply not something he was able to honestly do – not yet. He wondered, though, if that was something any man – or any person really – was able to do. How could you love someone so much, and yet honestly wish them happiness with another person? Certainly he wanted Paige to be happy. But he just didn't want her to be with Tim. Did that mean it was really the being with Tim part that he didn't like? But that was just a rationalization, wasn't it?

Not for the first time, Walter wondered how he was supposed to even know when he was fully baked. He'd read enough – both fiction and pseudo-scientific studies – about love and relationships to realize that being a genius was not a prerequisite to making serious mistakes when it came to love. How was he supposed to know when his impulses were due to his low EQ and when they were the same sorts of things that anyone else might think or do?

"Hey, Walter!" Toby gestured from the coffee station, motioning Walter to join him. He dropped his laptop off on his desk and made his way over to join his friend – and one-time unwilling roommate.

"Toby, if you're going to complain about me marrying Happy again…"

"No, no. I get it," Toby cut in. "You needed a friend, she was there for you. Many folks may not realize that underneath that badass exterior is the heart of a caring woman who will kick my butt if I ever bring up the subject of your ersatz marriage again. And since she is now officially my fiancée, that's all water under the bridge. This is about…" Toby dropped his voice to a whisper. "…Scorpion's power couple – Paige and Tim."

Walter stopped in the middle of pouring his coffee. "What… what are you talking about?"

"Me thinks all is not well in paradise, that's what. There are distinct signs that something is amiss. You may not be aware of this, my friend, but Tim usually gets here before Paige and makes a beeline for the coffee machine as soon as she gets here. He has that cup of coffee on her desk before she even sets her bag down. This morning – he got his own coffee, but none for her. Poor woman had to come over here and **POUR… HER... OWN**."

Walter shrugged and finished pouring his coffee. "So… he missed a day. So what?"

"After the coffee delivery, Tim-bo generally hovers around her and engages in witty chit chat until Cabe gets here or he has to get over to the Homeland offices. Our Mr. Armstrong tries to be sort of touchy-feely but I don't think Paige cares too much for PDA – she deflects. But this morning – Woo boy! He goes over after she gets her coffee, they said maybe three words, she gives him a look and then he's out of here."

Walter set his mug down and put the pot back on the hot plate. "Wait a minute. What kind of look? Wait… never mind. I don't want to know. Why are you telling me all this, Toby?"

It was some sort of exquisite torture. So what if Paige and Tim had a little spat? Walter did not need to hear about it. It made no difference. He wondered if this was how Toby was taking the events and revelations of the past few weeks out on him. He'd had to sleep in the same bed with Happy to legitimize their marriage. Walter now knew all too well what Toby must have felt knowing another man – any other man – was in his girl's bed. Except that Toby also knew that nothing happened. After all, he was right I the same room with them. Where Paige and Tim were concerned, Walter, unfortunately, had to assume that something very likely was happening. Whatever their rift was, it would blow over and Tim would be back to…

He couldn't bring himself to even think the words.

"Because….." Toby drew out the word, apparently preparing for some big revelation. "… you need to know if those two are headed to Splitsville so you can swoop in and pick up the pieces."

"If Paige and Tim split up I'm the last person she'll want to be bothering her! I was married and I never told her. I repeatedly insisted that I had no feelings for her, or if I did, that I had to suppress them for the good of the team. I played tricks to keep her and Tim apart. If she doesn't actually hate me, she certainly doesn't like me anymore."

"I wouldn't bet on that, my friend. And I'll bet on just about anything."

* * *

Paige tried to concentrate on the flood of e-mails that invariably packed her inbox on Monday mornings. It was times like these that she really envied her co-worker's unusual abilities. All of them, even Sly, had the ability to compartmentalize things in order to focus on the task at hand. They routinely set aside their emotional reactions – and she knew they all had them, despite their claims – in order to do the work.

She glanced over her shoulder towards the kitchen where Toby and Walter were whispering. Given the scene that Toby just witnessed, it didn't take much to figure out what they were talking about. Paige was confused as to why Toby would run to Walter with the news of her and Tim's argument. He'd talked to her after Walter's space adventure; advised her basically to back away and avoid stirring up those memories. Why would he now be fanning the flames?

The liaison sighed and turned back to her e-mails. Her laptop pinged and a new message appeared at the top of the list.

From: **Armstrong.T** Subject: **I'm Sorry**

Crap! Now he was apologizing and the argument wasn't even his fault. She'd copped out, and that's all there was to it.

* * *

 _On the drive home from the game, Tim suggested that they go to his place for a little "private time". Paige knew what that probably meant. As she feared, he was thinking that since they'd had sex, he could try for a repeat. She should have simply been honest with him right away but for some reason, she just didn't want to deal with what could turn into a confrontation. She told Tim that she needed to get back home because the sitter who was watching Ralph couldn't stay much longer._

 _She wasn't surprised when he calmly turned the car towards her home and said he understood – there would be another time. He was a nice guy, after all, considerate and kind. He even made an effort to connect with Ralph – despite Ralph's obvious rebuffs._

 _During the rest of the short drive, she wasn't sure what bothered her more – lying to Tim, or chickening out. This was the twenty-first century. Women didn't have to come up with excuses to avoid sex. If she didn't want to, she didn't want to and that should be all she needed to say. She felt like she was setting the world back a hundred years. As Tim parked the car and prepared to walk her to her door, she stopped him._

" _Tim, I… Ralph's sitter doesn't have any place to go. I was just… I don't know how to say this without making it sound worse than it is, but the truth is I thought you wanted to go to your place because you want to have sex and I… I just don't want to."_

" _O… kay. Aren't you… are you not feeling well?"_

" _No. I'm fine. I just. Look, Tim, you're wonderful and I really like you but… I think it might still be too soon for me. I probably should have realized that last week when we… But I didn't and now I…"_

" _You're trying to tell me that you regret taking that step?"_

" _Yes. I guess I am."_

 _Although they'd only been dating a few months, Paige recognized the look on Tim's face. It was barely controlled anger._

" _Look, Paige," he began, his hands gripping the steering wheel as he looked straight ahead. "I'm a big boy. If you don't think this is… us… if we're not going anywhere, you can tell me. You don't have to lie. What were you going to do, develop a sudden tendency towards headaches? If you… you don't want to see me anymore, just say so."_

" _Tim, it's not that!" she protested. Paige reached out and placed a hand on his arm, hoping he would at least look at her. He kept his eyes fixed firmly out the windshield of the car. "I just… you know it's been a really long time since I've done this and the only other guy… Ralph's father, Drew… he's the only other serious relationship I've had. I was barely into my twenties when Drew left and I've been alone all that time."_

" _Is that it? You think once I get what I want I'm going to leave?"_

" _Well, it could happen. You've been saying all along that you want to return to the Navy Seals. Are you telling me that if you get your medical clearance you won't drop everything you have here to go back?"_

* * *

Thinking back on the argument, Paige realized that was probably the worst thing she could have said. It was true that thought had crossed her mind, but it was also true that it didn't bother her. It also had nothing to do with her misgivings about deepening her relationship with Tim. Try as she might, she couldn't muster any feelings beyond just liking the man. He didn't make her heart thump or flutter. He didn't invade her dreams at night. He wasn't the first person she thought of in the morning or the last person she thought of at night.

That person was Walter O'Brien. Now that he'd said he loved her, even if he didn't remember it, it was becoming more and more impossible for her to keep up even the pretense of a relationship with Tim.

But according to Toby, the worst thing that could happen would be for Walter to remember what he'd said. Or what she'd said in return. Toby assumed she was over Walter and had moved on with Tim. She was no more over Walter than he was over her. But she had to put that behind her, for the good of the team, and for the good of Walter. Maybe if she could patch things up with Tim… get him to understand that she just needed more time… maybe in time those feelings would develop.

* * *

October 28 – November 15, 2016


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: Be Careful What You Wish**

 **Summary:** _ **Paige is dating Tim, but is that what she really wants?**_

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own** _ **/scorpion**_ **. This story is for entertainment purposes only. I make no profit and no infringement of copyrights is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

* * *

"Earth to Tim. Earth to Tim. ARMSTRONG, FRONT AND CENTER!"

Tim jerked his head up from his phone. Paige still hadn't responded to his e-mail. He'd taken the blame for the argument. His mom always told him that he should always take the blame for any argument because most of the time, it probably would be his fault. He'd been a belligerent jerk as a kid and into his teenage years, so back then she was more than likely right. Tim hoped his time in the Navy had changed him. But just the same, he still tended to apologize for any argument he got himself into because he found that unless someone apologized, things went downhill fast. It was just a whole lot easier to get it done. It didn't always mean he was actually at fault.

"Oh – uh – sorry, Cabe. I guess my head was still back at the garage."

The two agents had been assigned to a routine investigation – the sort of thing that didn't require the high brain power that Scorpion provided. They were on their way to join other agents working the case.

"Trouble with Walt or trouble in paradise?" the older agent asked, taking a sip of the coffee that Tim still brought him every morning.

Tim chuckled. Cabe Gallo didn't know how to mince words. There was a time when Tim would be offended at his nosy question, but he now knew that Cabe asked for two important reasons. One being that he wanted to be sure that everyone involved with Scorpion got along in order to work well together. That was part of his job. The other was because the gruff old codger truly cared about all of them like family. That was just who he was. Tim understood that he hadn't quite been admitted yet to the immediate family – he was more like a second cousin – but it felt good to be included at all.

"Oh – Paige and I had a little – disagreement – yesterday. This morning I went over to the garage, but we just basically rehashed it. So I sent her an apology e-mail and I'm just waiting to see if I'm still in the doghouse."

"So the fight was your fault?"

Tim thought about that a moment. "I… probably overreacted a bit to something that was really a small thing – especially since Paige pretty much corrected it right away. But then she blew up at something I said and touched some buttons and it just escalated from there. So I guess we're both at fault."

"That's usually how it works, son. Anytime you get into an argument – especially with a woman – chances are good that there's blame to lay on both sides. But it only takes one person willing to extend the first apology to start you working things out. I guess someone already taught you that part?"

Cabe maneuvered the SUV expertly through the heavy expressway traffic. In his first days as an agent, Tim asked if he could drive and Cabe let him. After the second time Tim got them to a scene late - after all the decent assignments had been doled out - Tim admitted that Cabe should do most of the driving. That was one of the first lessons he learned from Gallo – never be embarrassed to admit that someone else knows something better than you do. It was a lesson he really needed working with Scorpion.

"Yeah, my mom told me something like that," Tim replied. "She actually wasn't giving me relationship advice. It had more to do with the fights I got into in school. But I've found it works in a lot of situations."

He glanced again at his phone, swiping the screen to get the e-mail to refresh. Still nothing.

"Moms can be pretty smart. Certainly Paige is a really smart mom – and a really smart woman. Not smart like Walter and his crew – but still really smart. She reads people really well and she'll know if your apology isn't sincere."

"Well, but I think it is sincere. Like I said, we're both at fault."

"Women can be funny about what constitutes a sincere apology. In my experience Paige is usually pretty fair-minded, but then, I ain't datin' her."

Tim sighed and shoved his phone back in his pocket. They would be at the scene soon and he needed to get his head back into business.

"Well, I don't know if I'll be datin' her much longer, either," Tim said, mimicking Cabe's slang. "I really like her and I think she likes me, too. But there's - some sort of distance – something missing. At first I thought it had to do with Walter – that she was – that she hadn't gotten over whatever it was those two had together. But she keeps insisting they were never involved and that there was never anything for her to get over. I finally realized I needed to stop asking about it."

"They've got a complicated history."

Cabe pulled the SUV off the highway and began working his way through the downtown streets. It was slower going and Tim wondered if Cabe would hit the sirens to get them through some of the traffic lights, but it was doubtful. Despite Scorpion's sometimes creative interpretations of law, left to his own, Cabe was generally pretty straight arrow.

"I just wonder how much history they can have if they've never – I mean if they've never actually been involved?"

"Woo hoo, kiddo. You have no idea! Haven't you read any of the case reports? Those two have been through some pretty hair-raising experiences and they've saved each other's lives countless times. That develops a bond."

Tim was about to respond that the same sort of bond developed between military buddies or law enforcement partners all the time, but Cabe kept talking, cutting him off.

"It goes further than just that, though. Walter is the one who recognized that Ralph is a genius. Paige was under the mistaken belief that her son was developmentally challenged. It's in large part because of Walter that Ralph is able to function and develop that amazing brain of his. But it's not just one-sided. Paige is a big part of Scorpion's success and even if she's not a genius Walter is sort of unusual in that he has the ability to really recognize the value in all kinds of people – whatever their gifts."

"Okay, so they owe each other a lot. I still don't see…"

"And they fell in love with each other, Tim. If you had been here a year or so ago, it would have been obvious. But then something happened. Somehow they talked themselves into the idea that a relationship between them would be bad for the team. So they… tried not to have the feelings they were having. Then Walter decided to try speed dating and I think that hurt Paige a lot more than she'd ever admit. So when you came along…"

"Are you saying I'm nothing more than her rebound guy?"

"Well, it's hard to be on the rebound when you were never actually on the… the bound. But in some ways, yes, you're the guy Paige got involved with to help her get over the last guy."

"So is she over him… the last guy?"

Cabe glanced at him for a moment and Tim didn't need a Harvard degree to read the answer in the look the older man gave him. "You want the honest answer or the gentle one?" Cabe asked, turning back to watch the traffic.

"Is either of them anything other than 'No'?"

Cabe sighed. "I don't think Paige will ever really be over Walter." Cabe pulled the SUV into the visitor parking area of a large business complex. Cutting the engine, he turned to face Tim. "Look, kid. When you and Paige started seeing each other, I had high hopes. Walter's got a lot of issues and as much as I care about him, I also know Paige has had a really rough time when it comes to men. I thought it might be good for her if she could fall in love with a man… a man who wouldn't be a lifetime of hard work for her. But the heart wants what the heart wants and Tim, Paige's heart still wants Walter and I don't think that's gonna change. Far be it from me to give anyone relationship advice, but it might be time for you to consider cutting your losses. But when you do – do it easy – or you and I will have words."

Tim stared at his coffee cup for a moment. If he'd taken the time to answer, he'd have requested honesty. He wasn't expecting something quite so brutal. But it wasn't entirely unexpected. A part of him had known since the first time he entered the garage that Paige and Walter were a thing. Believing anything else could be true had always been a fantasy.

* * *

November 15 - 25, 2016 words


End file.
